Page 55 of Finding Limits

“I only just found out myself.” I shake my head in response. “I didn’t think I could and now?—”

“Hey, hey. Don’t you worry, now. I’m gonna get us outta here and then you can tell Mitch that he really does get to be a dad. He’s gonna like that a whole lot.” He tries to sound excited as his eyes dart around us, trying to find something to help. “I just need you to stay calm and remember to breathe. Don’t go passing out on me, now.” He smiles some more as I nod my head and agree.

“I can’t go back there, Hunter.” I feel the tears sliding down my cheeks.

“I know, and you won’t have to, I promise. I’ll do whatever it takes. Okay?”

“Okay,” I whisper back at him, trying my best to act like I have faith in him.

The door opens back up a few minutes later and when Hunter's mother comes inside, I have to do a double take. “Kayla?” I stare at her wondering how she got here too. Is she working with Solomon to take me back?

“Annie has let the air out of one of the tires to buy us some time,” she whispers. “Solomon’s changing the wheel now.” She goes to start untying Hunter, but he insists that she unties me, and when she eventually agrees she suddenly freezes when she hears her name called.

“Mom, come on,” Hunter begs her.

“He’ll kill you. He has a gun and if you try to run…” She shakes her head helplessly.

“Then you go back out there, and you tell him you're going to get water and you take my horse. You head out the trees toward that big ridge until you see the ranch and you get help,” Hunter instructs her.

“I can’t, I haven’t ridden a horse since…”

“You can, and you will, because I’m your son, and Everleigh here, she’s gonna have a baby, and look, she’s really scared. Mom, I need you to do this for us,” Hunter pleads with her. “Just be calm, don’t act suspicious, and once you get to the ranch you stay there. It's safe.”

Kayla nods her head as she stands up and when the door swings open and Solomon steps inside she screams when he grabs her by her hair.

“What are you doing?” His spittle lands on the side of her face when he talks.

“I was just checking they were ready to leave. We’re going to need extra water, you don’t want him looking ill when we show up at the new settlement.” She smiles convincingly.

“Well, don’t just stand there, go get it,” Solomon tells her, turning her around and shoving her out the door.

“Everleigh.” He crouches down in front of me and slides his hands up my leg. “I don’t like how they dress you here.” He turns his nose up at my jeans and unties the bottom of Mitch’s shirt that I’m wearing over the top of my tee. “It shows off too much of what’s mine.” His fingers creep around my waist and make my stomach roll. He pulls my body closer to his and makes sure our lips are almost touching.

“You get the fuck away from her!” Hunter yells at him, and Solomon laughs a cruel, demonic laugh.

“We will be reacquainted soon, little dove.” His palm slides between my legs, cupping my pussy and squeezing until I can’t hold in the gasp of fear I make.

“I said, get your fucking hands off her, you bastard!” Hunter screams.

Solomon spins around and lands a punch on Hunter’s jaw, then boots him in the stomach over and over until he’s a groaning mess on the floor.

“You're gonna have to learn to hold your tongue where we’re going, boy,” he warns before heading out the door and slamming it shut.

“Hunter. Hunter. Are you okay?” I wait for him to respond with my heart beating fast.

“I’m fine.” He chokes, as he manages to roll himself back up into a sitting position.

“Mom will help us. I know she will,” he assures me, still doing his best to stop me from panicking. But it’s too late, my head is spinning and I can’t see any way out of this mess.

“Someone should go looking for Hunter before it gets dark,” I point out as we all trot through the gates to the ranch. It’s strange that the girls ain’t waiting out on the porch like they usually are and Garrett must notice too because he slides straight off his horse and hands his reins to Tate.

I do the same, following him across the yard and into the house, and as soon as I see Maisie pacing in front of the fire, I know something’s wrong.

“What’s happened?” Garrett goes straight to her, taking the tops of her arms in his hands and holding her still, while my eyes scan the room looking for Everleigh. There’s no sign of her and when Wade and Cole both rush in behind me and go to their women, I really start to wonder where the fuck mine is.

“Where's Everleigh?” My voice comes out husky. I know it’s her that’s the problem because they all look at me, guiltily.

“We don’t know, she left to get a pot from the bunkhouse about half an hour ago and she hasn’t come back yet.” Maisie shakes her head looking concerned.

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